Motor vehicle seat belt systems conventionally include a webbing woven from yarn of nylon, rayon or polyester threads. The webbing is mounted on the vehicle body in a manner which disposes the webbing across the occupant lap and diagonally across the occupant's upper torso.
A disadvantage of conventional seat belt webbing, particularly when employed as a shoulder belt, is that the edge of the shoulder belt may chafe upon the neck or other exposed skin of the seat occupant giving rise to occupant annoyance even though such shoulder belt systems are known to provide effective restraint of the occupant during deceleration of the vehicle.
Prior to my making of this invention, it had been known to flock the entire webbing of a woven seat belt webbing so that the edges and surfaces of the webbing would be concealed beneath the flocking and the flocking would provide a soft surface. However, the presence of the flocking fibers on the surface of the belt effectively increases the thickness of the belt as the belt is wound and stored upon the reel of the seat belt retractor with the result that a retractor must be larger than what would otherwise be required in order to accommodate the diameter of the wound up belt.
It would be desirable to provide a seat belt webbing having the comfort enhancing qualities of a flocked seat belt webbing without increasing the thickness of the belt.